Real life with a CV Bessa R4M/A

kshapero

kshapero

South Florida Man
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Now that it has been awhile (what a couple of years) since the intro of CV's famed R4M/A series, what is real life experience been using them? I am thinking of one for my CV 21mm.
 
I've always had sort of a love/hate relationship with Bessas - love the viewfinders, but just never warmed to the overall "feel" of the body in day to day use. I owned a R4A a few years back, and ultimately sold it, mostly because I just didn't care for the overall handling of the body.

I recently picked up an R4M, and my 24 lives on this body. Having used the camera for a few months, I am again reminded about why I sold the first one. But, wow, the finder is great, and it sure is nice not needing an external viewfinder for wides, so I think I will end up keeping this one. Obviously, this is very personal - ultimately, I think that you're just going to have to give it a try and see for yourself.
 
I have had a R4A for several years and have used it intermittently at home but extensively on various vacations. The use of a 21mm on the body is fine, I do have to search for the left and right frame lines with my glasses on. But with the 28mm the viewfinder is perfect and in my mind the camera was meant for this lens. Use of a 50mm wide open is problematic as the focusing is difficult, but in the outdoors with more light, I have not had any focus issues.
 
I have had the R4M since it came out. It is my most used non-M2 among my cameras. Goes along wherever I go - usually with a 21 or occasionally with a 25. It must have had several 100 rolls if not more through it. So far no problems.
It is a very good camera - does not feel like a Leica, but that is not a problem for me. The fact that I dont have to chase finders falling off - or floating along among the debris in my camera bag makes a big difference. It also means that I can frame/focus without taking the eye away from the ocular of the camera.
21/25/28 are perfect, 35 is workable and 50 is rather squinty - definitely an "emergency" frame-line set-up.
At the moment I am shooting a small project with leica's - using the 21f4.5 on a M6 0.58 - cant wait to finish it so I can go back to the R4M and no external finder!!!
 
Me Too!

Me Too!

kshapero said:
Wow is Tom A. really the only guy who uses a CV R4* camera at RFF?
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No, I have one and use it, especially when travelling when the 21 and 25 get quite a bit of use. I endorse everything Tom says about it. I had (still have but it's for sale) an R3A but having recently acquired a Leica M6 I find the frameline sets on the M6 suit me better than the R3A.
However, the Bessas have a couple of neat features the M6 lacks. Three if you count the comparative weight! The Leica is a weapon!
There is a shutter lock on the Bessa which prevents accidental exposures and turns the meter off. You can turn the meter off on the M6 by setting the speed to "B" but the shutter can still be fired accidentally.
There is a small window in the body of the Bessa which shows part of the film cartridge so you're never in doubt as to what you've loaded. The M6 does not offer this.
Otherwise, apart from "feel" and "aura" they both do the same job very well.
 
Leigh Youdale said:
No, I have one and use it, especially when travelling when the 21 and 25 get quite a bit of use. I endorse everything Tom says about it. I had (still have but it's for sale) an R3A but having recently acquired a Leica M6 I find the frameline sets on the M6 suit me better than the R3A.
However, the Bessas have a couple of neat features the M6 lacks. Three if you count the comparative weight! The Leica is a weapon!
There is a shutter lock on the Bessa which prevents accidental exposures and turns the meter off. You can turn the meter off on the M6 by setting the speed to "B" but the shutter can still be fired accidentally.
There is a small window in the body of the Bessa which shows part of the film cartridge so you're never in doubt as to what you've loaded. The M6 does not offer this.
Otherwise, apart from "feel" and "aura" they both do the same job very well.
Click to expand...
also the R3A is aperture preferred.
 
I like my R4A with 28mm. Great with glasses. I've also used it with the Zeiss 21mm F/4.5C. Works great, but I also like the Zeiss external finder and as of late have been using the 21mm on an Ikon with external finder.
 
kshapero said:
Got a chance to buy a mint 4A and a new 2A for $1050, sounds good to me.
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Sounds good to me too. The R4* is great as long as you're prepared to use an accessory finder for 50mm and longer lenses. (It does have frames for 50 but it's rather small, as Tom A says).
The R2* is great as long as you're prepared to use an accessory finder for 28mm or wider lenses.
The perfect body for me would have frames for 25/28/35/50/75/90 - they can leave off the 135 frames and I would use a separate viewfinder for the relatively infrequent use of a 21mm or 15mm lens.
Anyone for an R6*?
 
I have the R4A, in my opinion it is best described as a great WA viewfinder, with a camera attached to it as a bonus. It greatly appreciates very compact lenses, in fact i use it principally with the C Biogon 21/4,5. The element that disqualifies it the most as a serious body, is the back tilt of the camera caused by incorrect lug placement.
 
Leigh Youdale said:
Sounds good to me too. The R4* is great as long as you're prepared to use an accessory finder for 50mm and longer lenses. (It does have frames for 50 but it's rather small, as Tom A says).
The R2* is great as long as you're prepared to use an accessory finder for 28mm or wider lenses.
The perfect body for me would have frames for 25/28/35/50/75/90 - they can leave off the 135 frames and I would use a separate viewfinder for the relatively infrequent use of a 21mm or 15mm lens.
Anyone for an R6*?
Click to expand...
Was thinking of the R4a for my 21 and occasional 35 and the R2a for the 50 and 90 and occasional 35. Comments?
 
kshapero said:
Was thinking of the R4a for my 21 and occasional 35 and the R2a for the 50 and 90 and occasional 35. Comments?
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I think I already said I use the R4A and R3A (now Leica M6) in much the same way as you are suggesting. Probably just as important - to me, anyway - is that with a selection of CV viewfinders to match the lenses I have, I can load colour in one body (usually the R4A) and B&W in the other yet still be able to switch lenses and viewfinders at will. That's been very useful for travel photography where I wanted to use both film types.
And that's really the only reason now for me to have two bodies.

If you're only going to take B&W and use one film type I'd suggest you think about just using the R2A body, with a supplementary viewfinder for the 21mm lens. Added to the 35/50/75/90 frames of the R2A it covers the range of focal lengths you mention with only one small CV accessory finder needed as an extra. CV make a dual 21/25 viewfinder which, as I have both lenses, I use.
 
I am using the R4A and found it a little bit small for my big hands. I therefore fattened it-up with a leather half-case from Dirk at japanexposures.com and I'm fine with this combination. I use it often with the color-skopar 4/25. Very affordable, lightweight, clear frame-lines and accurate metering. Great camera.
 
Leigh Youdale said:
There is a shutter lock on the Bessa which prevents accidental exposures and turns the meter off.
Click to expand...
I don't use it on my R2A anymore after I had to have the shutter release mechanism fixed. I don't know how much force you exactly need to apply on the shutter button when you have the shutter lock on to break it, but mine broke by itself in the camera bag. The part which breaks is plastic. It will then keep the meter activated draining the battery pretty quickly, and you need to switch the camera off and back on between every exposure.
 
I've been trying to look for a second hand R4A to go with my CV 21/4 for a while but haven't had any luck. Lots of R4M's come up though. I had an R2 a few years back and sometimes I regret selling it.
 
I love my R4A. I have a 35mm 1.4 and 21mm f4 as a combo and it suits me just fine. I feel guilty not using it because I'm shooting more digital lately. Cosina, are you listening? It's 2011 and it would be nice to give Leica some competition!
 
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